Have A Heart (hanging pearl heart craft)

"Every Love story is special, unique and beautiful, but ours is my favorite."

~Unknown

Make Valentine's Day last all year long. Have a heart hanging nearby to remind you of the special love you have together, or just because it adds a certain softness to the room. Today's craft is not difficult. This project took me just under 10 minutes and about 5 minutes to gather my supplies.  I saw this pearl craft on another blogger's web site and I wanted to credit them and let them know they inspired me to create my own, but for the life of me cannot remember where I saw it. If someone has run across it somewhere let me know.

This project can be varied in so many ways, like the types of beads for example. I always use what I have on hand if I can. The type of beads can completely change the look of this.  It also can be made any size that you may want. You don't have to hang this from a ribbon, you could use a chain, a leather, a piece of twine. It is up to you as the artisan.

Here's how I did it:

I used 20 gauge (0.81mm) wire. It is a pliable wire but it isn't flimsy. You can manipulate this wire with your hands or with jewelry tools. Mine just so happened to be gold.

1 ribbon   (I keep a bin of different ribbons, pieces, and gathered ribbon from gifts, for example, I don't throw away much)

 Assorted beads.   Here I like the uniformity so I just stayed with a handful of faux pearls. (I used 18 each side)

I measured out 15 inches and snipped it (be careful sometimes the snipped end is sharp), and then I found the approximate middle (I bend to make sure "about" where it is) You don't want to actually bend tight the wire because then it will have a permanent bend in it. 

The next thing to do is to loop it, again not running fingers along it yet ,you're trying not to permanently mark the wire because it will be easier to use without a bend in it.

Now turn this over (see "m" shape)

Now, one can use jewelry tools to bend around to make the top of the heart shape or I just used the cylindrical shape of the nearest glue stick that was in my junk drawer! Once the shape is made,*(remember you can rebend and reshape once all your bead are on)

you can start putting on your beads. You can put anything in the middle loop too if desired such a different kind or color bead or a charm on a jump ring would be cute too!

shape

bead

Continue until you cannot get any more on. Twist the wire shut and snip, then tuck behind the last bead. You can use standard wire pliers from husbands tool kit or use jewelry tools. Be careful snipped wire is sharp. 

tie on a ribbon

Next after the wire, is how you'd like to hang it, I used a simple ribbon.

So pretty

I hope you enjoyed this simple little project, it is easy and uses what you have on hand. This little heart will serve as a reminder to keep love in my heart every day. Create beauty.